Incubator tray



Nov. 29, 1932. POCKRANDT 1,889,493

INQUBATOR TRAY Filed May 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 \h jrnewffic frandf Inventor pmm Attorney E. POCKRANDT INCUBATOR TRAY Nov. 29, 1932.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1929 A tiomey Patented Nov. 29, I932ERNEST POGKRANDT, or MINDEN, NEBRASKA IANCUBA'IOR TnAY Application filedMay 2, 1929. Serial No. 359,875. 7

This invention relates toegg trays, and more in particularito egg traysof the type used in incubators, and has as its primary object theprovision of a tray of the char- '6 acter set forth, whereby the eggswithin the tray may be automatically turned, while the egg laden tray ispositioned within the incubator.

A very important'object of the invention is to provide a structure ofthis nature which consists of but few parts, is simple in construction,can be readily and easilyassembled for disposition within theincubator,'isinexpensive, and thoroughly'reliable and efficient in use.a

Other obj ects'and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring a study of the followingdescription taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein: Figure l is a top plan view ofmyimproved egg tray, and showing the tray with theegg positioning framestructure removed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the assembleddevice.

F igure3 is a top plan view ofan egg positioning frame structure orgrid.- Figure 4: is a fragmentary detailview of the operating mechanism.V

VVith reference more in detail to the draw ings it will be seen that myimproved tray, in its contemplated embodiment, comprises an elongatedrectangular frame designated generally by the reference character 5.Said frame comprises side members 66 and end members 7-7. A plurality ofrollers 8 have their opposite ends journaled in vthe side members 6-6 ofthe frame as shown in Figure 1, so that the said rollers extendtransversely of the frame, and are disposed in 40, spaced parallelismwith one another. 7

These rollers are of such a number as to permit a relatively wide spacebetween one of the end members 7 and the end roller 9 as shown inFigure 1. Disposed in spaced parallelism to the end roller 9 is a driveshaft 10, which drive shaft has one end journaled in one of the sidemembers 6 as at 11 and the other end extending through a bearing in theopposite side vmember to terminate in a squared extremity 12. The shaftis so usual construction is trained over the sprockformed at thisextremity, for engagement with the socketed portion 13 of a suitablewinding key 14. -The purpose of this will become apparent during-thefollowingdescription.

On the opposite end of the shaft there is fixed" thereto, a sprocket 15and it will be noted that the rollers 8 are provided with sprockets 16,and that a drive chain 17, of the 0 ets 15 and 16. A spring 19 isassociated with the shaft 10 as at 20, one end of thespr'ing beingsecured by means of a bracket 21 to the adjacent end 7 of the frame 5 asshown in Figure 1. The s'pring19 is in'the nature of a spring motor andis adapted to furnish the power means for the drive shaft 10. Asupporting bracket 22 has oneend secured to the end 7 as at 23, and theopposite end of the supportingbracket 22 has a bearing formed on itsextremity,'through which bearing extends the shaft 10 as :designatedat24'.

- A "substantially rectangular frame like housing 25 has one end wallthereof secured to the end 7fas at 26, audit will be noted that 'thishousing 25 extends at right angles to the member 7, and is of such alength as to permit the drive shaft 10 to extend through the side wallsthereof in a manner clearly illustrated. Within the housing 25 is amechaso nism, similar to a conventional mechanism used in clocks, andcomprising, as herein shown, a plurality of gears, a hair spring, andabalance wheel, all adapted to function in correlation with one anotherin a manner herein presently to bedescribed. That portion of the driveshaft 10 extending through the housing 25 has a gear 26 fixed thereon,which gear 26 is adapted to mesh with a small gear 27 fixed to a shaft28, the opposite ends of said shaft being j ournaled in the side wallsof the housing 25. The shaft 28 has also thereon a gear 29 in mesh witha gear 30 fixed to a shaft 31, which shaft 31 has in turn a gear 32inmeshwith a gear 33 fixed to a rotatable shaft 34:, disposed inoperative relation with respect to the last mentioned shaft.

The mechanism further includes a pendent pendent 36 in a suitablemanner. The pendent 36 is rockably mounted on a shaft 37 and the one endof the pendent is suitably engaged with a balance wheel 38 fixed to therotatable shaft 39. A hair spring 40 is operatively associated with theshaft 39 and has one end thereof fixed to the adjacent end wall of thehousing 25 all in amanner clearly illustrated.

The function of this mechanism as just described is to regulate or cutdown the speed at which the motor, or spring 19 unwinds, when operatingthe drive shaft 10, which shaft 10 in turn by means of the chain andsprocket connection between the shaft and the rollers rotates the saidrollers 8 to turn the eggs coming in contact with the rollers. It is yetto be mentioned that a ratchet 41 is secured to the shaft 10 as at 42,and that this ratchet is adapted to engage with a dog 43 carried by thesprocket 15 so as to prevent reverse rotation of the shaft, when theshaft is being rotated so as to tension the spring 19 for operating theentire device.

A plurality of relatively small rollers 44 have their respective axles45 suitably secured to one of the side members 6, and these rollers 44are disposed in spaced relation, and so located as to rest upon thechain 17, for holding the said chain in operative contact with thesprockets 15 and 16.

The invention also contemplates the provision of an egg positioningframe structure designated generally by the numeral 46, and illustratedto advantage in Figure 3. The egg positioning frame structure 46comprises a frame of substantially rectangular formation having the sidewalls 4'T-4i and the end walls 4848. This part of the frame structure 46just described is preferably formed of metal. Strips 49 also preferablyformed of tin extend in spaced parallelism longitudinally of the frame,and have their respective ends fixed in the adjacent end members 48 ofthe frame. Suitable lengths of wire 50 extend transversely of the frameand are arranged in spaced parallelism to each other. These wire strips50 pass through the metal partition members 49, and cooperate therewithto provide individual egg receiving spaces.

Preferably adjacent the corners of the egg positioning frame structure,the said struc ture is provided with upstanding hook members 51, whichmembers are adapted to engage the respective side walls 6 of the frame 5to hold the frame or grid 46 substantially stationary within the saidframe 5 and it is to be noted that the shanks of the hook members 51 areof suflicient length to permit the frame or grid 46 to rest upon therollers 8 as clearly shown in Figure 2. However, in order to permit anylongitudinal movement of the structure 46 within the frame member,

a which movement may be caused by the rotation of the rollers 8, one endmember 7 of the frame is provided with a longitudinally extending slot52, which slot is adapted to re ceive the adjacent end member 48 of theegg receiving structure as best illustrated in Figure 2.

Thus it will be seen that when the structure is suitably positionedwithin the frame 5, and the eggs 53 as shown in Figure 2 in dottedlines, are each placed in their respective compartments formed in thepositioning frame 46, and extending through the compartments so as tocontact with the rollers 8, it will be seen that during the rotation ofthe rollers, which rotation is actuated from the spring motor 19 throughthe connecting means already described the will be'turned continuously,during the said unwinding operation of the spring. As is obvious theclock mechanism herein described will control the unwinding of thespring 19 so as to impart a slow but constant turning movement to theeggs.

From the foregoing then it vill be seen that I have provided athoroughly reliable and efficient egg turning tray, which consists ofbut few parts, is simple in construction and operation, and will beotherwise thoroughly reliable and eilicient in use.

Even though I have herein shown and described certain detail structuralelements and features of my invention, it is to be understood that theinvention is susceptible of changes coming within the spirit of theinvention as described, and the scope of the 100 appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is An egg turning tray comprising incombination a frame, a plurality of relatively spaced transverse rollersjournalled in the frame, means for simultaneously rotating all of saidrollers in one direction, an egg positioning frame arranged in the firstmentioned frame and resting on said rollers, and said first mentionedframe having an end member provided with a. slot extending transverselyof the frame in a plane above the rollers and through which an adjacentend of said posi- 115 tioning frame is projectable.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ERNEST POCKRANDT.

